News from the Nürburgring

Racing Heroes – Pre-‘65 at the Nürburgring

In 2017, the Nürburgring celebrated its 90th birthday.  On the exact day of the first race there, the “Nürburgring Classic” was inaugurated as an international motorsport meeting for historic cars on the Grand Prix circuit and the Nordschleife, organised by the DAMC 05 e.V. club, which had been involved in the staging of that first race in 1927.  Since then, it has become an annual event, the 4th running of which is set for 20-22 May 2023, with a fresh format and a new challenge for cars up to 1965.  GT and sports cars built from 1947 to 1965 are invited to join the cars of the Dunlop Gentle Drivers ‘65 series to compete for ‘Le Grand Trophée’, with two 30-minute practice sessions and two 60-minute race heats, each with compulsory pit stop on the GP track.  

On a timetable of 18 races, other grids will include Historic Formula 1, DTM and DRM/Touring Cars of the “Golden Era”, Can-Am and Group C, Kampf der Zwerge, Historic Endurance Cup/HTGT, Youngtimer Trophy and a Pre-war meeting in the 1927 Historic Paddock.  Other activities are women-only regularity track sessions and runs on the Nordschleife.  See www.nuerburgringclassic.de.

ADAC 1000 km Race, Nürburgring

In the unanimous opinion of racing drivers, the Nürburgring Nordschleife is the most beautiful, difficult, scary and interesting permanent racetrack in the world.  Another 70th Nürburgring anniversary comes around this year, as it was in 1953 that the first ADAC 1000km Race was run there.  Two years ago, the 1000km race was organised in a historic format for touring and GT cars from 1947 to 1992, offering some seven hours of racing on the ‘Green Hell”.  This year the race will be run on 15-17 September with a Friday course so that competitors can get the H Permit required by the German ANC for the race.  Teams from two to four drivers are welcome and the 200 or so cars will be divided into three starting grids.  See https://1000kmnuerburgring.de.